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Kids' Programs Home 6 weeks to 3 years old 3 to 6 years old 7 to 10 years old 7 to 15 years old - Specialty Programs Meeting LocationsVermont Summer Children's Programs
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#1 Resort in the East - SKI Magazine Reader Survey 2023

Smuggs Vermonter Camp

Vermonter Summer Programs for kids ages 7 - 15

Hey Vermonters, this summer, dive into the adventure that awaits at Smuggs!

We're calling all Vermont kids to come and discover the magic nestled in the heart of the Green Mountains. Smuggs Camp is your ticket to extraordinary summer memories, filled with unique experiences you won't find anywhere else. Let's make this summer unforgettable together at America's Family Resort!

Transportation is available for $10 per day, per child round trip to and from Burlington, Jericho, and Essex. See our transportation schedule at the bottom of this page for estimated pick up and drop off times.

Our Monday through Friday program schedule lets Vermont kids explore our five unique programs.

Vermonter Specialty Programs are available Monday - Friday, June 17 - August 30, 2024.

Buy Now Vermonter Summer Program
High Adventure

High Adventure

Ages 7 - 15
Monday - Friday

Kids seeking adventure and excitement will challenge themselves with rock climbing, paddling, and even awaken their inner ninja at the ArborTrek Treetop Obstacle Course! Groups will swim if time allows each day.

High Adventure Program Information
Monday - Lake Elmore Kayak: Get ready for a super cool kayaking trip on the calm and beautiful Lake Elmore. Our friendly guides will take you on a fun journey across the water, and we’ll even stop for a picnic lunch by the lake! Participants MUST be able to paddle independently for the 3 mile trip.

Tuesday - Climbing High at MetroRock: Climbing is a natural inclination - from trees to playgrounds to that boulder in the backyard. Our group will journey to MetroRock, located in Essex, Vermont. Share in the passion and adventure of climbing and take to the skies with MetroRock’s highly trained staff, scaling up to 50 foot climbing walls at the largest indoor venue in VT. With routes of all levels and heights, absolute beginners and experienced veterans will find an ascent perfect for them. Participants will then engage their sense of adventure as they take to the enormous indoor high ropes course, which consists of 21 separate elements! Set high above the ground, MetroRocks’ challenge course presents a series of unique elements and physical challenges as you move from platform to platform.

Wednesday - Outdoor Rock Climbing Adventure: Let’s go on an adventure to climb real rocks with the amazing guides from Sterling Mountain! It’s a day full of climbing fun, learning how to stay safe, and working together as a team. If it rains, no worries! We’ll head over to FunZone 2.0 for some indoor warrior challenges, climbing walls, and a brave jump from the Leap of Faith!

Thursday - Treetop Obstacle Course at ArborTrek: Ready to be a ninja in the trees? At ArborTrek, you can swing, climb, jump, and zip through the forest on a super cool obstacle course. There are bridges that wobble, swings made of ropes, and lots of challenges that are both fun and a bit tricky. Make sure you’re between 70 - 250 pounds and can reach up to 66 inches to join in on all the fun!

Friday - Paddle & Roll - This Friday is all about water and wheels! We’ll start with awesome paddle boarding at Bootleggers’ Basin, followed by a yummy picnic lunch. Then, it’s time to grab our skateboards for some cool tricks and end the day with some rock climbing and exploring in the Notch. It’s going to be a blast!

Special Deal for Our Vermont Friends: If you live in Vermont, you can join in on the fun for a special price of $129 per kid, each day. This includes having the coolest guides, all the gear you need, and a ride to our adventure spots. Don’t forget to sign up online before we start and pack a tasty lunch and snack for your adventure day.

Cancellations must be made by 5:00 pm the day prior to the program/activity start date to receive a full refund. Cancellations made after 5:00 pm are not eligible for a refund.

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Mountain Bike Camp

Mountain Bike

Ages 7 - 15
Monday - Friday

Our Mountain Bike Program is for anyone wanting to learn the basics of trail riding or exploring new features in our park!

Mountain Bike Program Information
Join us for some action packed days exploring our trails and features on a mountain bike! Groups are split based on age and ability. Whether taking a first step into the sport, or riding the upper end features of our park and trail network, this MTB program is for everyone looking to ride! Visit mtb.com for information regarding our trail network and MTB Skills Park.

Special Vermonter rate: $119 per child, per day. Minimum of 2 participants for program to run. Online pre-registration required. Lunch and bike rental are not included. Please make sure to pack a ready to eat, healthy lunch and snack.

Cancellations must be made by 5:00 pm the day prior to the program/activity start date to receive a full refund. Cancellations made after 5:00 pm are not eligible for a refund.

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Mini Structures S.T.E.M.

S.T.E.M. Projects, Problems, and Puzzles

Ages 7 - 15
Monday - Friday

Calling all engineers, scientists, and naturalists! Come join us for S.T.E.M. program as we work together to solve engineering challenges, explore the ecosystems in our Vermont woods, and build things big and small.

S.T.E.M. Program Information
Each day will include field exploration, games, group projects and challenges, all centered around the day's theme. In the afternoon, each participant will choose between two focus activities, where they will dive in with even more hands-on investigation. We will end each day with a swim.

Monday - Feathered, Furry & Fierce:
Learn all about predators and their prey, as well as specific adaptations that help each animal survive.
Focus activity choice: Owl Pellet Dissection or Squid Dissection

Tuesday - Build It & Break It:
Get ready to think critically and creatively as we use the engineering design process to build models, test designs, and overcome problems.
Focus Activity choice: Catapults or Sink the Boat

Wednesday - Soar, Rattle & Roll:
We will explore all different types of movement in the natural world, and learn how these have inspired human designs!
Focus Activity choice: Marble Mazes or Parachutes

Thursday - Earth, Fire & Water:
Ever wonder where all the snow and other waste waters go at Smuggs? How do humans impact the environment, and what can we do to help? We will explore these issues and many more!
Focus Activity choice: Forest Fires or Mudslides

Friday - Home Is Where You Make It:
What kind of homes do animals build? What style of homes do humans build? We will investigate and design all sorts of different living spaces.
Focus Activity choice: Giant Blueprints or Bridges

Special Vermonter rate: $119 per child, per day. Cost includes instruction and all materials. Online pre-registration required.Lunch is not included. Please make sure to pack a ready to eat, healthy lunch and snack.

Cancellations must be made by 5:00 pm the day prior to the program/activity start date to receive a full refund. Cancellations made after 5:00 pm are not eligible for a refund.

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Wilderness and Survival Skills

Wilderness & Survival Skills

Ages 7 - 15
Monday - Friday

Challenge your skills for surviving alone in the wild! Build a shelter, naturally filter water, build fire, and forage for food!

Wilderness & Survival Program Information
Come explore the Smugglers’ Notch woods as we hone our modern hiking and camping skills, explore the Leave No Trace Principles, play games, and investigate the plants and animals around us! Each day will focus on a particular theme. Throughout the week, each participant will be adding on to their own “Survival Tin” - a collection of tools that they will earn by showing proficiency in skill and safety for that day. We will end each day with a swim.

Monday - Shelter - Under what conditions would we need to seek shelter in the wilderness? How are our needs for a shelter similar or different from the animals? We will learn all about different types of shelters and build some of our own!

Tuesday - Water - Water is super important for our health and safety! But how do we gather it in the woods so it is safe for us? How do we make sure we keep water sources clean for others? We will explore several different backcountry methods to gather and treat water so it is clean and safe to drink!

Wednesday - Fire - Safety is paramount as we spend the day building, tending, and then extinguishing our campfires. We will learn how to use flint and steel to start the fire, and then do some cooking over the open flames.

Thursday - Food - Ever wonder what foods are good to bring on a backpacking trip? Using a camp stove, we will cook and sample some backpacking favorites and then practice hanging our food bag high in a tree to keep it safe from animals.

Friday - Get Found! - Navigate through the trails using maps, compasses, and the skills you've learned throughout the week.

Special Vermonter rate: $119 per child, per day.Cost includes guides and equipment. Online pre-registration required. Three guest minimum for program to run. Lunch is not included. Please make sure to pack a ready to eat, healthy lunch and snack.

Cancellations must be made by 5:00 pm the day prior to the program/activity start date to receive a full refund. Cancellations made after 5:00 pm are not eligible for a refund.

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Arts & Crafts Program

Arts & Crafts

Ages 7 - 15
Monday - Friday

Do you love getting creative? Join us as we use an assortment of mediums and our imaginations to create a variety of projects. By the end of the week, you will have expanded your knowledge in the art studio and have fun creations to show for it!

Arts & Crafts Program Information
Monday - Mosaic Madness - We will use a variety of materials to challenge our spatial awareness as we explore patterns, shapes and colors. We will create mosaic projects ranging from coasters to magnets to decorative pieces. We will be creating mosaic masterpieces both in the art studio and out in nature.

Tuesday - Color Explosion- Today we will capture blasts of color by using crayon wax, paints and tie-dyes to make a variety of projects.

Tie-dye shirts will need to process overnight and be washed. They will be returned to participants on Wednesday. If the participant is not attending on Wednesday, the items will be available for pick up.


Wednesday - String People - Bring your imagination to the art studio as we craft miniature people out of string, pipe cleaners, toothpicks and more! Then, we will use sticks and other natural materials to build tiny furniture for them. We will explore the Gnome Village at Smuggs and add on to their community!


Thursday - Yarn Creatures - Birds, octopi, monsters and more - the sky's the limit as you build yarn pom poms to create creatures big and small!


Friday - Suncatchers - We will explore several techniques as we create suncatchers that can be hung in your window at home!


Special Vermonter rate: $119 per child, per day. Cost includes all materials. Online pre-registration is required. Lunch is not included. Please make sure to pack a ready to eat, healthy lunch and snack.

Cancellations must be made by 5:00 pm the day prior to the program/activity start date to receive a full refund. Cancellations made after 5:00 pm are not eligible for a refund.

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Discovery  Children's Camp

Discovery Camp

Ages 3 - 6
Monday - Friday

$595 per person, per week.
Lunch not included.

Discovery Camp Info

2024 Available Session Dates:
5-day program Monday-Friday 9:00 am - 3:30 pm.

Session 1: June 17 - 21
Session 2: June 24 - 28
Session 3: July 1 - 5
Session 4: July 8 - 12
Session 5: July 15 - 19
Session 6: July 22 - 26
Session 7: July 29 - August 2
Session 8: August 5 - 9
Session 9: August 12 - 16
Camper drop off and pick up locations!
Times are approximate and subject to change.

TownDeparture TimePick-up TimeLocation
South Burlington 7:20 am - 7:30 am 4:45 pm - 5:00 pm Staples/Petco Parking Area
Essex 7:45 am - 7:55 am 4:20 pm - 4:30 pm Essex Cinemas
Jericho 8:00 am - 8:15 am 4:00 pm - 4:15 pm Jericho Elementary

What should you bring to the program?
  • Bag lunch
  • Snack
  • Backpack or bag
  • Bathing suit & towel
  • Change of clothes
  • Closed-toed sturdy shoes
  • Sunscreen
  • Water bottle

Optional:
  • Water shoes
  • Bug Repellent
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